← Back to list of papers of the 2024 EuroGNC conference

CEAS EuroGNC 2024

Worst-case Uncertainty Methods in the Precise Pointing Control of Flexible Spacecraft
János Bezsilla Developer, Institute for Computer Science and Control, Systems and Control Lab, 1111, Budapest, Hungary.
Bálint Patartics Research Fellow, Institute for Computer Science and Control, Systems and Control Lab, 1111, Budapest, Hungary.
Jian Guo Associate Professor, Delft University of Technology, Space Systems Engineering, 2629HS, Delft, The Netherlands.
Bálint Vanek Deputy Director, Institute for Computer Science and Control, Systems and Control Lab, 1111, Budapest, Hungary.
Béla Takarics Research Fellow, Institute for Computer Science and Control, Systems and Control Lab, 1111, Budapest, Hungary.
Abstract:
Nowadays, many space missions require highly accurate pointing for Earth observation or cosmic vision purposes. However, the vibration environment from a spacecraft's structure and reaction wheels can cause disturbances in its line-of-sight stability and severely impact image quality. Additionally, these effects are not known precisely due to limitations in ground testing, and this uncertainty leads to significant challenges in control. This paper tackles these problems by creating a control design and verification framework. Modern scientific literature explores three solutions: high-fidelity nonlinear modelling, advanced control design methods, and optimized verification campaigns. Respectively, they provide a reliable testing environment, directly handle structural dynamics, and guarantee system stability. While the three approaches are usually studied separately, we propose a novel combination using a payload isolation platform. A robust H-infinity-based cascade control loop is designed for a Sentinel-like spacecraft and analyzed to maximize pointing indicators in a realistic mission scenario and then validated using a worst-case uncertainty construction method via multi-frequency gain maximization. The synergy of the framework offers a robust solution for precise pointing in flexible spacecraft and enables further mass reductions in the future of space exploration.
Keywords: flexible spacecraft; high-fidelity modeling; precise pointing; robust control; verification and validation
 View PDF CEAS-GNC-2024-060


János Bezsilla, Bálint Patartics, Jian Guo, Bálint Vanek, Béla Takarics: Worst-case Uncertainty Methods in the Precise Pointing Control of Flexible Spacecraft. Proceedings of the 2024 CEAS EuroGNC conference. Bristol, UK. June 2024. CEAS-GNC-2024-060.
BibTeX entry:

@Incollection{CEAS-GNC-2024-060,
    author = {Bezsilla, János and Patartics, Bálint and Guo, Jian and Vanek, Bálint and Takarics, Béla},
    title = {Worst-case Uncertainty Methods in the Precise Pointing Control of Flexible Spacecraft},
    booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2024 {CEAS EuroGNC} conference},
    address = {Bristol, UK},
    month = jun,
    year = {2024},
    note = {CEAS-GNC-2024-060}
}